Diversion of Increased Timber Harvesting Revenue Thwarted

An Act to Establish the Affordable Heating from Maine’s Forests Fund (2015)

The Legislature voted against diverting timber harvesting revenue from public land stewardship. One of Governor LePage’s priorities has been to increase timber harvesting on public lands and use the revenue to fund unrelated heating programs. The Legislature rejected this proposal, as did the 126th Legislature in 2014 (see LD 1838). The diversion of timber revenue was soundly defeated in the House and unanimously in the Senate. Relatedly, the Legislature established a commission to review the use of revenue generated by harvesting on public lands as well as sustainable harvest levels.